Thursday, 12 May 2016

CABIN CREW TRIES TO COMMIT SUICIDE

British Airways flight from LAX to Heathrow was forced to divert to Iceland after off-duty cabin crew worker 'slit their wrists'

A380 / Flight path
The cabin crew member is said to have tried to slit his wrists after locking himself into the toilets aboard the London bound flight Alamy
By STEPHEN MOYES & GUY BIRCHALL: EXCLUSIVE
13:10, 12 May 2016
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A BRITISH Airways plane was diverted after a member of airline staff tried to kill himself at 38,000ft.
The cabin crew worker is understood to have slit his wrists in a cabin toilet on BA Flight 282 from Los Angeles to London.
There was horror on board the giant Airbus 380 when staff made the grisly discovery of their colleague.
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Flight Diverted
The plane was forced to make an abrupt northward turn after the crew member was discovered in the toilet flightradar24.com


It is not known what he used to cut himself. He was found slumped on the toilet seat after executive passengers noticed the cubicle had been locked for a long time.
Emergency medical help was given to the off-duty steward and the plane diverted to Iceland.
One British Airways worker told The Sun: “This was a terrible incident, everyone was upset.
“There was blood and tears. It was truly shocking.”
The plane was full of Hollywood executives headed for the Cannes Film Festival.
Stan Rosenfield, a publicist whose clients include George Clooney, told how one of the toilets was locked for ages.
He said: “Earlier, I remember going to the bathroom and it said occupied.
“I didn't feel like going to another section. A little while later, the same thing happened, so I just went to another bathroom.
"Then there were a series of beeps — I've never heard anything like it. All the flight attendants converged in the galley where the bathroom was and drew the curtain."
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A flight attendant told the passenger sitting next to Rosenfield – in Cannes to join Clooney for the premiere of his movie Money Monster – that a man had been found slumped in the toilet.
He was said to have locked the door before cutting his wrists.
The aircraft took off 20 minutes late from California at 3:50pm local time (11:50pm GMT) on Monday and was due to land at London Heathrow at 10am Tuesday.
The Airbus A388 eventually landed in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik at 7:44am.
The BA worker was immediately rushed to hospital.
BA A380
The London bound flight left LAX 20 minutes late and was carrying several Hollywood Exectutives Alamy


The plane then departed Reykjavik just over two hours later and was en-route back to London where it landed at around 1:20pm.
Film and music executives from US giants Fox and Sony were on the flight.
Mr Rosenfield told the Hollywood Reporter: "It's very upsetting in retrospect when you consider what was going down.
"Apparently, they knocked down the bathroom door when there was no response, or they had a key."
Mr Rosenfield, along with other business-class customers, was interviewed on touchdown by police about anything they might have seen.
He said: "I asked the officer if he was okay. He said he had been discharged."
British Airways declined to comment on the man's condition and insisted on referring to him as a “customer”
An airline spokesman said: "Our Los Angeles to Heathrow service was diverted to Iceland so that a customer could receive medical assistance.
“The customer was taken to a hospital locally and the flight continued to Heathrow after a two-hour delay."
Stan Rosenfield with George Clooney
Stan Rosenfield, a Hollywood publicist aboard the flight pictured with George Clooney Getty


The BA suicide worker is understood to have been discharged from hospital.
One scared woman had taken to social media after learning that the flight with her parents onboard had been diverted.
Twitter user @beccay216 tweeted: “@British_Airways any reason why flight BA282 LAX-Heathrow was diverted to Reykjavik? Worried for my parents. Will they be departing soon?”
But she was relieved when the airline responded posting: “@beccay216 Hi Rebecca. The flight was diverted due a passenger requiring medical assistance. The flight is due to arrive in to Heathrow at 13.23 today. I'm sorry for the delay to their flight.”
A relived Rebecca replied: “@British_Airways thanks for this I completely understand I am just glad they are safe. I see they are back in the air now.”
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Keflavik International Airport
Keflavik International Airport in Iceland where the plane was diverted too Getty


London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport the planes destination Getty


LAX
LAX Airport in Los Angeles where the plane set off from Getty


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Thursday, 10 March 2016

British Airways world traveller plus

How to survive premium economy when you normally turn left: Etiquette expert William Hanson slums it in a BA cabin where you have to pour your own wine and your steak isn't cooked to order

  • William Hanson flew from London to Shanghai in BA's premium economy
  • He did 'the walk of shame' straight through business class to find his seat
  • A flight attendant laughed when he asked for his steak to be medium rare
  • 'I had Googled pictures of the cabin to ascertain the sartorial form,' he said
By WILLIAM HANSON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:29, 9 March 2016 | UPDATED: 13:27, 9 March 2016
I refuse to apologise that I usually am fortunate enough to fly comfortably in business or first class when on a long-haul flight.
Often working just hours after stepping off a plane in China, India or Saudi Arabia means it really does pay to be travelling at the front of the aeroplane.
But, for quasi-anthropological reasons, and in a vain attempt to keep myself grounded, on my recent sojourn I decided I’d brave it and fly premium economy. Or as British Airways would have us call it ‘World Traveller Plus’.
BA's premium economy cabin, called World Traveller Plus, is cramped for those used to business class
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BA's premium economy cabin, called World Traveller Plus, is cramped for those used to business class
We all know air travel isn’t what it once was. The glamour and verve it used to have in its hey-day has well been quashed.
Even first and business (sorry, ‘Club World’) have rough edges that would make Concorde’s former staff wince.
I was flying to Shanghai, which is a 10-hour outbound flight and 12-hour return. I prayed I would cope with premium economy.
Having just updated my full catalogue of medical vaccinations I felt it was the right time for this adventure.
Upon arrival at the airport I made a beeline for the terminal map to ensure I didn’t end up walking through the ‘turning left’ queue by default.
What would be more embarrassing for my Bond-esque mission than falling at the first hurdle?
Now, I am not stupid. 
Etiquette expert William Hanson flew to Shanghai in British Airways' premium economy cabin
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Etiquette expert William Hanson flew to Shanghai in British Airways' premium economy cabin
I usually travel in a jacket, but I rightly guessed that the cabin crew attending to the premium economy passengers may not have the space or time to be able to hang and care for the jacket during the flight so it didn’t crease. I wasn’t going to risk suffocating the delicate threads in a sweaty overhead locker, thank you very much.
I dressed down. I had Googled pictures of the premium economy cabin and its inhabitants in advance to ascertain the sartorial form.
Thus, ladies and gentleman, I wore denim and, somewhat confusingly, a sports shoe.
I wanted to burst into a light jog around the airport due to how relaxed and breathable my feet now felt.
Although my frequent flyer miles mean I can access the nicer lounges I felt I should do this properly and resist.
It was the first time I’d properly studied Heathrow’s newest edifice.
Really, Terminal 5 is just one big high-vis, glassy orgy.
There are some nice enough shops and restaurants, catering for the middle market, notably Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food, which lived up to its name.
Once onboard I did the walk of shame straight through the Club World cabin to find seat 23D in premium economy.
I thought I may have gone too far and ventured into economy but having popped my head through into the next portion of the plane I realised that people did have it worse than me. I said a little prayer for them.
Before takeoff we were presented with the menu.
It didn’t look too bad. We’d start with something called ‘char siu pork with kao fu’ (I assumed the typist had a sticky keyboard that day) before moving onto ‘pan-fried fillet of beef with red wine jus, potatoes au gratin, baby carrots and asparagus’ and then ending with the increasingly prolific ‘opera cake with vanilla sauce’ and cheese and biscuits.
In business (pictured) or first class, passengers can have their steak cooked to their liking
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In business (pictured) or first class, passengers can have their steak cooked to their liking
Etihad Airways business class is the luxurious way to fly
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After takeoff the drinks trolley came.
I had to pour my own wine. (The whole journey was an interesting assessment in seeing what perks are taken away due to the lesser price of the airfare.)
And then, in media res, something bizarre happened. One of the cabin crew decided to change from her kitten heels into her ‘practical shoes’, quite boldly in the aisle for all to see.
I checked if the in-flight entertainment was broken, which may have explained this demi-comedy, but it was not.
The meal service shortly followed. I was genuinely looking forward to my beef.
Upon ordering (the other option was cod) I asked the stewardess, quite normally, if it could please come medium rare. She laughed.
The food tray (plastic) arrived. For those, like me, wondering what exactly ‘char siu pork with kao fu’ is, I am afraid, having eaten it, the mystery lingers.
The beef was nowhere near medium rare and my baby carrots were in close competition with the asparagus as to which could be soggier.
Opera cake was more Gilbert and Sullivan than Monteverdi, although the nicest part of the meal. 
The over advertised ‘cheese and biscuits’ was nothing more than some miniature crackers and something called a ‘Baby Bell’.
In conclusion, you can’t polish a turd but you can call it World Traveller Plus.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3483631/William-Hanson-behave-premium-economy-usually-turn-left.html#ixzz42UMcUwI7
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